title: Unique receptor repertoire in mouse uterine NK cells.
abstract: Uterine NK (uNK) cells are a prominent feature of the uterine mucosa and regulate placentation. NK cell activity is regulated by a balance of activating and inhibitory receptors, however the receptor repertoire of mouse uNK cells is unknown. We describe herein two distinct subsets of CD3(-)CD122(+) NK cells in the mouse uterus (comprising decidua and mesometrial lymphoid aggregate of pregnancy) at mid-gestation: a small subset indistinguishable from peripheral NK cells, and a larger subset that expresses NKp46 and Ly49 receptors, but not NK1.1 or DX5. This larger subset reacts with Dolichus biflores agglutinin, a marker of uNK cells in the mouse, and is adjacent to the invading trophoblast. By multiparametric analysis we show that the phenotype of uNK cells is unique and unprecedented in terms of adhesion, activation, and MHC binding potential. Thus, the Ly49 repertoire and the expression of other differentiation markers strikingly distinguish uNK cells from peripheral NK cells, suggesting that a selection process shapes the receptor repertoire of mouse uNK cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hakim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yadi
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Madeja
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hemberger
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moffett
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colucci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D039421:Integrin alpha2 / Q000378:metabolism; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000172:deficiency; D011247:Pregnancy; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000950:Antigens, Ly; D017252:CD3 Complex; C508022:Il2rb protein, mouse; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic